The adoption of a client-centred approach to service delivery involves both a philosophical and operational shift for service delivery purposes. The philosophical shift is reflected in a new emphasis on "client-centred" services, formed on principles of client self-determination and informed choice, empowerment, partnership and community support. The operational shift involves an emphasis on client outcomes, teamwork, collaboration, redistribution of workload, and expanding and evolving work roles.

Making the shift to a client-centred service approach has and will continue to require a significant effort in terms of staff training and education. In 1997, the Health Services Directorate developed a Client-Centred Service Approach Training Plan for Priority Courses that focussed on introducing the philosophical shift to all Departmental personnel, and providing staff on the front lines with knowledge and skills that would ready them for their changing roles and help with the "change" process. These courses have been designed, delivered and evaluated, using a mix of staff and external consultants.

To meet the more specialized training needs of VAC staff, the Health Services Directorate continues to develop a multi-year training plan for front line staff to enhance their skills and knowledge in providing consistent client-centred service through the service components of the model and in leading in a client-centred organization.

Course descriptions for each course developed to date are outlined below.

Learning Objectives:

To ensure that staff understand the rationale for and philosophy of CCSA within VAC, and can demonstrate in daily actions the values and principles underlying this approach; that they know the elements of the model and its relevance to both staff who work with clients directly and other sectors who serve the Department; that staff can describe the diversity of VAC clients; how their changing needs impact on staff roles; can demonstrate the philosophy of CCSA when dealing with clients and colleagues; and understand the change process and its relationship to personal growth and greater job satisfaction.

Course Content:

1. VAC Changing With the Times
2. Changes in Our Clients and in Society
3. Client-Centred Approach
4. Exploring Principles and Values
5. Changing Roles
6. The Change Process
7. Building Commitment
8. Action Planning

Course Format:

Two days, lecture and group exercises

Who Should Attend:

All staff in the department

Expected Outcomes:

Staff will understand why Veterans Affairs Canada must change and how it will go about making this change.

Evaluation Strategy:

Delivery Mode:

Delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff

Learning Objectives:

To increase VAC employees' understanding of the underlying values, beliefs and principles of the Client Centred Service Approach as well as the impact that the CCSA will have on employee roles, practices, and relationships and how it will address emerging client needs; to help participants better understand their role in developing a helping relationship with clients by assessing and respecting the values of each client, the worker and the organization, by focussing on strengths, building collaborative relationships and supporting staff; and to further develop skills required for effective helping relationships including: communication, assessment, and identifying goals and priorities.

Course Content:

1. VAC: Changing times
2. Underlying Values and Principles of CCSA
3. "Helping" within a CCSA environment
4. Helping in the context of VAC
5. Self-Appraisal
6. Overview of Communication
7. Assessment
8. Collaborative planning with the client and family

Course Format:

3 days lecture and group activities

Who Should Attend:

Staff and managers at all levels of the department who provide assessment services to clients or who provide screening services which result in assessment of a client.

Expected Outcomes:

Service providers throughout the organization will have an understanding of how teams deliver services to clients.

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff members

Learning Objectives:

To support Chiefs as agents of change in implementing CCSA across the organization; to understand the philosophy and elements of the Client-Centred Service Delivery Model; to understand the demographic changes that impact on the care needs of clients; to be able to describe the importance of leadership in effecting change; to investigate different management and coaching styles; to be able to link the VAC Leadership Profiles to the CCSA and explore the changing role of the Chief; to learn skills and methodologies to support team-building; to explore ways to look after the staff that work with clients; to focus on client outcomes resulting from CCSA as a measure of performance and quality service; and to promote a consistent approach to service through collaboration with other Chiefs in the Department.

Course Content:

1. VAC Shifting to a Client-Centred Approach
2. CCS Approach and Empowerment
3. Organizational Change and Loss
4. Phases of Transition
5. Management of Change
6. Values
7. Leadership
8. Creating a safe environment
9. Building Trust
10. The Chief as Coach
11. Coaching skills
12. Building a Team Culture
13. Supporting Others
14. Improving Team Communication
15. Action Planning

Course Format:

3 days, lecture and group exercises

Who Should Attend:

District, Regional and Head Office Chiefs who provide support to Client Services staff, Regional and Head Office Health Professionals, Pensions Advocates, and functional managers of Client Services. It is recommended for District Directors and other level four or level five managers who lead staff providing direct client service.

Expected Outcomes:

Managers will develop skills for leading change in a client-centred organization.

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff

Learning Objectives:

To identify a person's preferred communications style, as well as the different factors that influence communications; to enhance a person's communication techniques and strategies in working with clients on the phone as well as face-to-face; and how to apply the various techniques in their new roles.

Course Content:

1. Listening exercise
2. Communication Styles Inventory
3. Nonverbal and Verbal skills
4. Perception vs. Fact

Course Format:

1 day, lecture and group activities

Who Should Attend:

Front-line staff providing direct client service including information, screening and targeted assistance. This course is also recommended for non-counselling staff and others.

Expected Outcomes:

Communications will be improved between the employee and the client.

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Course delivered by VAC staff

Learning Objectives:

To provide participants with an enhanced understanding of case management using a client-centred approach; to build on counsellors' current skills by introducing the areas which will be enhanced on the new client-centred assessment; to provide participants with standardized, comprehensive guidelines for care planning; and to provide participants with guidelines for documentation.

Course Content:

1. Case Management in a CCSA environment
2. Building on your assessment skills
3. Care planning
4. The art of effective documentation

Course Format:

2.5 days, highly interactive combining exercises games and a film

Who Should Attend:

All counsellors, Chiefs of Client Services, District Office nurses and Senior District Medical Officers in the project sites

Expected Outcomes:

Expertise in assessment will be enhanced and employees will be able to complete a client-centred assessment.

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Course to be delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff

Learning Objectives:

To understand the philosophy of client-centred service; to be able to integrate the client-centred approach into assessment practice; to be able to complete the new assessment; to be able to complete program requirements for AA and VIP in assessment; to have an introduction to the Folstein Mini-Mental State Exam; to screen for cognitive impairment; to have an introduction to the CES-D depression scale to screen for depression; to develop and use a "best practices" template; to be able to navigate through the computerized software which supports the new assessment tool.

Course Content:

1. The philosophy of client centred service
2. The new assessment
3. Using the new assessment for attendance allowance purposes
4. the Folstein Mini Mental State Exam
5. the CES-D depression scale
6. Developing the "Best Practices" template
7. Computer training on the software which supports the new assessment

Course Format:

2.5 days, lecture and group exercises

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Veterans Affairs Canada staff will deliver the course

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

reflect on their own grief experiences and examine how those experiences shape their handling of present and future grief experiences; understand society's view of grief; understand the concept of anticipatory grief; assess what grief is; understand and use tools to help with supporting someone through the grieving process; understand the Bereavement Follow-up protocol and its application; understand what difficult grief is, the boundaries of counsellor's practice and when and where to make referrals; understand and be introduced to tools necessary for counsellor self-care.

Course Format:

2 days, lecture and group exercises

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Course will delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop participants will:

understand what elder abuse is; understand what "being client centred" means in the context of identifying Elder Abuse; understand the legal implications of identifying an abusive situation; understand the need for proper documentation of abuse indicators; understand your own feelings when someone refuses assistance; understand the purpose and goals for using an Elder Abuse protocol; be able to identify indicators for Elder Abuse;

And be able to use the protocol to:

• utilize other team members in action planning
• make appropriate referrals
• monitor and follow up the situation
• understand how the issue of mental competency fits into the protocol

Course Format:

1 day, lecture and group exercises

Evaluation Strategy:

Verbal and written evaluations

Delivery Mode:

Course delivered by Veterans Affairs Canada staff

Learning Objectives:

The objective of this training is to provide VAC employees with the skills required to provide quality service to qualified Canadian Forces and former Canadian Forces clients.

By the end of this section the participants will:

• gain insight into the conditions in which Canadian peacekeepers have been operating under for the past 10 years.
• understand the challenges that VAC staff face with younger Canadian Forces clients.
• understand the changes brought about by Bill C41 and Department of National Defence's Civilian Case Manager Pilot.
• understand the definition of roles and responsibilities with respect to still serving clients between Veterans Affairs Canada and Department of National Defence.
• understand and be able to establish trust with younger Canadian Forces Clients.
• understand and be able to defuse a confrontation with younger Canadian Forces Clients.
• understand and be able to set expectations and limits with younger Canadian Forces Clients.
• understand and be able to confront clients with evidence about a situation which may include denial issues, or, in which they may be in denial about.
• understand and be able to help former Canadian Forces Clients work through loss issues.
• understand and be able to motivate clients.
• understand and be able to effectively care plan, monitor and follow-up.
• understand and be able to terminate the case management relationship.
• gain insight into the effectiveness of his/her Health Care Team as it currently exists.
• be able to develop an action plan to increase Client Services Team effectiveness at joint case planning.
• understand the purpose and structure of Health Care Team.
• understand the meeting and documentation guidelines for Health Care Team.
• understand and be able to use the new Cues for Referral.

Course Modules:

1. The Continuing Evolution of Veterans Affairs and Department of National Defence
2. Defining roles
3. Specific skills enhancements required for working with younger clients
   • Overview of the case management relationship
   • Establishing trust
   • Defusing angry situations
   • Setting expectations and limits
   • Using confrontation as a counselling tool
   • Dealing with loss issues
   • Motivating a client to change
   • Care Planning, Monitoring and Follow-up
   • Terminating the Case Management relationship
   • Working in a multi-disciplinary team environment
   • How healthy is your team?
   • Clarifying the purpose and structure of the Health Care Team and setting guidelines for meetings and documentation
   • Cues for referral
   • Section review
   • Closing Exercise
   • Video tape exercise

Course Format:

Practical, job related, highly interactive skills-based training Numerous teaching methodologies based on the principle of Experiential Learning Training will build on and compliment CCSA training

Expected Outcomes:

Staff will gain the knowledge to enhance skills and confidence to effectively work with CF clients.

Evaluation Strategy:

At the end of the 3-day training session, verbal and written evaluations will be conducted.

Three months post-training, testing to measure the knowledge transfer necessary to work with CF clients will be given to course participants.

Six months post-training, testing to measure the skills enhancement necessary to work with CF clients will be given to course participants.